Rising Shards

Oka and Aira approached each other, bloodsabers drawn and charged. I flinched as they swung at each other, the impact of the blades sending sparks around from their Cani energy charging their weapons. They backed off, and neither swung again right away. I didn’t want to see them fight, so I hoped that was maybe the end of it. Aira looked like she’d been spiritually defeated before we even showed up. Her downward look was so unlike everything I knew of Aira. I knew her to be cheerful, witty, silly, energetic. Not downtrodden and lost.

“I’ve been thinking a lot about what I wanted to say to you,” Oka said. “But even in my head, I couldn’t put it into words.”

Aira looked like she was going to swing again, but she faltered.

“Aira…” Oka said. She looked at me, and back to Aira. I knew she saw the same heartbroken defeat in Aira. Oka deactivated her bloodsaber and put it away.

“Why’d you stop?” Aira asked, her voice weak.

“If you wanted to win this, you could just teleport around and just take both of us out instantly.” Oka said.

“Maybe I just…want to play fair!” Aira said.

“This isn’t a game,” Oka said. “If you’re trying to get Laenie’s brother back…what does fighting us accomplish? Did you guys take Kalei, too?”

Aira’s lip trembled. She gripped the hilt of her bloodsaber tightly, wincing.

“I’m so sorry…” Aira said. “It wasn’t supposed to be like this. I don’t know why she…”

Aira fell to her knees, her blade’s light going out as it clanged beside her.

Oka and I rushed to Aira. We weren’t sure if she was up for a hug, so we just stayed close to her.

“You’re my friends. Why am I…doing any of this? I don’t want to do this anymore.” Aira said, tears streaming down her face. “I don’t want to be like this. This isn’t who I want to be.”

“Maybe we should sit down somewhere better.” I suggested, noticing benches nearby. Oka and I helped Aira to the nearest one and sat together. We rubbed Aira’s back.

“I’m so sorry,” Aira said. “We’ve been on this mission for so long, and I’ve done things I didn’t…I never would have…”

“It’s OK,” I said. “We’re here for you, it’ll be alright…”

“Laenie hasn’t gotten out of her Exa form in so long, either…I’m so scared…” Aira said. “I’m scared I’m losing her. I’m…scared I already lost her. I just thought if we got Rem back, she’d go back, but…we just keep digging deeper. I was supposed to keep checking in with Caya, but I failed at that. I don’t even know how I agreed to helping your parents…do what they did to you. I just keep digging.”

“You don’t have to keep digging,” Oka said. “You could stop here, and we could go home.”

“But it’s Laenie!” Aira said. “I have to help her…”

“If it’s hurting you this much, I don’t know if you should.” I said.

Aira thought about her answer. “Maybe you’re right,” She said. “And after Laenie attacked me I…”

“Hold on,” Oka said. “I’m sorry, but Laenie did what?”

“Well, it was more of a grab,” Aira said. “It’s probably silly to say it was an attack…but she was in her Exa form, and it hurt, and she kind of held me over the campfire we had, and….”

“Aira, that’s…” I said. “Oh no…” That was all I could muster.

“She had never done that to me before,” Aira said.

Oka and I held Aira. I knew I had to say something better than just ‘oh no.’

“When I was with Jeans…I didn’t think I could get away.” I said. “She hurt me too, but…there were good times, too. I don’t…” I sighed. “I don’t want to say Laenie is anything like Jeans. She might just be really lost. And Jeans is probably really lost too, just. She used that to hurt people. But even if the reasons are different, if Laenie hurt you, I don’t think it’s…”

“I know,” Aira said. “It’s just…Laenie wasn’t supposed to do that to me. You know? She’s my best friend. She’s not supposed to hurt me like that. She’s…” Aira buried her face in her hands. “I can’t keep going like this.”

We stayed with Aira, letting her sob it out, grateful that none of the other parties or the robot drone soldiers had come our way.

“I’m so sorry, Zeta,” Aira said once she’d regained her composure a bit. “I don’t think I even apologized yet. I realize that I just said a few minutes ago that nothing can make that right, and I still think that, but I at least want to say sorry.”

“I don’t blame you for it,” I said. “I know my parents pulled the strings on all of that. And you and Laenie did help me for a sec there.”

“Yeah…” Aira said. “On that note, do you have your phone with you?”

“I think?” I said.

“This may sound a bit strange, but could I see it?” Aira asked. “Unless you found it already.”

“Found it?” I asked. “Found what?”

I got out my phone and let Aira hold it. She unclicked the case, and pulled out a small, folded sheet of paper.

“How did I not notice that?” I asked. “What is that?”

“It’s an apology we wrote before,” Aira said. “That…I’d rather you not read now.”

“Yeah, sure…” I said.

Aira pocketed the note. She took a deep breath and looked skyward. Despite the blaring lights of Kitty’s theme park, you could still see some stars above.

“Do you want to come back with us?” Oka asked. “We have Dr. Diast with us, and Caya, and a few other teachers. They can get you home.”

“I…do really miss home,” Aira said. “I haven’t seen my kitty in so long. And I miss you guys, I miss all my friends back at school.” Her stomach grumbled loudly. She laughed bitterly. “I’m also very hungry.”

“Um, I have beets?” Oka said. She got the plastic tub out again. “I still have a few in here.”

“I’d rather…” Aira said. “Ultra Taco would be amazing. I want the Big Boy.”

“Once you’re home, we’ll get you all the Ultra Taco you want,” I said. “But…it’s your choice if you want to come back.”

“Right.” Oka said. “We won’t force you.”

Aira nodded. “Thank you. I—”

Someone roared behind us. We know before turning around who it was, though. Laenie leapt over. It took me a few seconds to process that she nabbed Oka and I, holding us tightly in her claws, still furious as when we left her.